Elvis Finds A Marathon In Denver?

Racing Colorado

January 24, 2009 · Filed Under Running News

The King At Denver Marathon

Good news on the marathon front…
Looks like Colorado may finally have our own Rock ‘n’ Roll marathon. The Denver Marathon, along with Rocky Mountain Half Marathon has been acquired by Competitor Group, a group that owns a number of endurance races, including Elite Racing’s music marathon series. You’ve no doubt heard of, if not participated in these races, characterized by bands lining the entire route with and post-race parties and concerts. Maybe you’ve even taken the road trip and donned your Elvis jumpsuit for the event?

Competitor Group, Inc. is backed by a private equity firm specializing in the running, cycling, and triathlon industries. This is a good move for Colorado’s athletic community on several levels. The race will keep director, Anton Villatoro, who has done an excellent job developing this well-organized race into the state’s biggest marathon. The new ownership presumably will add investment funding as well, helping to ensure the success of the race. Although the race will not take on the “Rock ‘n’ Roll” theme in 2009 (probably will in 2010), given the director and backing organization, I’m sure we can expect great things. The music marathons have proven to be quite successful, with the recent P.F. Chang’s Rock ‘n’ Roll Arizona Marathon not only set records for speed (50k) but also drew a record registration number of 34,800 .

While the race will still be a favorite of locals, my guess is that it will provide the final answer to the question of whether Colorado can present a true destination marathon. To be sure, the marathon will quite likely be Colorado’s most popular, but the “best” title is more subjective, and depends on your tastes. Colorado has lots of great marathon distance courses, each with their own flavor, and there will always be something for everyone. Distinctive races like Pike’s Peak Marathon (which isn’t at all like a regular marathon) will likely not be affected much by the new ownership of Denver Marathon. It’s not clear yet how other marathons will be affected – my guess is that races most similar in format may lose some participation. The obvious comparison is to the Colfax marathon, which is battling a history of logistic and organizational issues. On the other hand, we can expect better things from that race this year as well with Creigh Kelly at the helm.

Ideally a well run, well marketed, and well attended Denver Marathon will draw more people to the world of endurance sports, benefitting races throughout the state.

Plus, I’d love to have Elvis in Colorado again. I haven’t heard of a sighting in the state since my brother in law caught a glimpse of him in the produce section of Safeway 11 years ago!

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